September Wind
by MJLCoyoteStarrk
Summary: In Memoriam to those who lost their lives on 9/11


**September Wind**

_In Memoriam to those who lost their lives on 9/11_

Footsteps unseen on ashen concrete

A figure walking through twisted steel

Seeking to help the souls of those lost

To find peace

Captain Retsu Unohana made her way through the debris. The sky, once a calm, clear blue, the color of sapphire, was now like a mourning shroud. The cloud of ash hung in the air and the shapes of New York's firefighters and police and paramedics could be seen as they began their search for survivors.

As soon as the call went out, Soul Reapers from all over the world converged on New York City, Arlington, Virginia, and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. All of them were somber. They all knew that they now stood on Sacred Ground.

Unohana closed her eyes and said a silent prayer. She made her way around the rescue workers who were beginning to dig through the debris, hoping to find as many as they could alive. Unohana paused when she saw the soul of a man standing in the rubble, looking around him and trying to dig through the debris. He wore a firefighter's uniform, complete with gear. He stopped when he saw Unohana.

"Hey, hey, are you a medic?" he asked. "We have someone alive down there."

Unohana looked to where the soul pointed and shook her head. She knew that the woman was now dead. She looked back at the firefighter. He was confused as he noticed the shining chain attached to his chest. Then understanding dawned on his face.

"I'm dead, aren't I?"

"You are."

"Are you an angel?"

"I'm a Soul Reaper. I help the souls of those who die to find rest."

The firefighter looked around the debris. His eyes were moist with tears as he saw the massive pile of debris around him. The shrill sounds of the emergency beacons each firefighter wore began to fill the air.

"I'll help you," he said.

"I beg your pardon," Unohana said as she was about to draw her Zanpakuto.

"There are other souls who need to find rest first. I'll help you find them and then you do what you must. If I couldn't save them while alive, then I'll sure as Hell help them now. I can't just give up because I'm dead. That ain't how I roll."

"I understand," Unohana said.

"Unohana," someone called out.

"Ukitake," Unohana said as the long white-haired Soul Reaper came close to them.

"We have a group of fifty souls huddled together. Some of the other Soul Reapers are having a hard time getting close to them. They're afraid."

Unohana nodded. She looked at the firefighter.

"Take me to them," he said.

Ukitake looked at Unohana who nodded. Ukitake sighed and led the way. They could see a group of rescue workers trying to dig through the debris. The plume of ash continued to rise above the ruins.

"Why are they doing this?" Ukitake asked.

"They're NYFD and NYPD and EMTs and paramedics and PAPD," the firefighter said.

"Such courage," Unohana said.

"It's why we're New York's finest."

"I would say more than just New York," Ukitake said.

They made their way through the rubble until they came to a spot that was relatively clear. They saw a group of fifty souls huddled together. A group of Soul Reapers from America, Asia, and Europe were keeping an eye on them to make sure none of them wandered off. However, the group didn't make any efforts to escape. Instead, they looked frightened and confused.

"What happened to them?" the firefighter asked.

"They must have died so quickly that they didn't even realize what happened," Unohana said and closed her eyes. "They need someone to try to explain it to them."

"The others already tried," Ukitake said. "However, they just don't know what's going on. And they don't know what to make of the Soul Reapers."

"I'll talk to them," the firefighter said. "They just need someone to help calm them down. I don't know how much good it'll do, but…at least they know this uniform," he said.

He was right. The sight of someone from the NYFD seemed to calm them down. He explained as best he could what Unohana explained. The other souls looked confused and then some began to argue that they weren't really dead and that this must be some kind of nightmare. However, others began to touch their soul chains as though thinking about such a thing. The firefighter tried to answer the questions that some of the others shouted at him, but he wasn't too good at that kind of thing. Suddenly an elderly woman stood up and sighed.

"We're dead," she said and looked at them. "If we weren't then those fellas would have seen us," she said and pointed to a group of rescue workers who were walking right next to them in the ash. "These folks are angels sent to guide us on. I say we let them do their job."

Some of the others disagreed, arguing that they couldn't be dead. Yet the majority became somber and nodded in agreement. Unohana looked at the other Soul Reapers and nodded. They descended upon the group to perform the Konso. Where ash filled the sky, drifting on the winds, now thousands of shimmering black butterflies began to fly.

Eventually only the firefighter was the only soul left at Ground Zero. He watched as the spirit of a young girl who was on American Flight 11 became a black butterfly and flew after the butterflies that were her parents. They never found the souls of those who were behind the attacks and so concluded that Hell already took them or they were forced into the Void, which would have been their fate if they tried to perform Konso on them.

"So, I'm the only one left," the firefighter said.

"Yes," Unohana said. "Are you ready?"

"No one's really ready to go, but when you're number's up…" he sighed.

Unohana was about to perform the Konso on him when she stopped.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"I don't remember," he said. "Is that normal?"

"It's not uncommon for souls to forget their names while alive," she said. "But whoever you were, you must have been great."

"I doubt that," he said. "I'm just an Average Joe who did his job."

"Perhaps if more people had the courage and selflessness to rush into a burning building to save complete strangers, then the world would be a better place," Ukitake said.

"I ain't a hero," the firefighter said. "I just did my job."

"But that's what makes you a hero," Unohana said.

The firefighter sighed and looked at the mountain of debris. He looked as three firefighters began to raise an American flag over the rubble. He took off his helmet and saluted.

"Today, everyone who is sending us their prayers and well-wishes and aide and who stand in solidarity against the Terrorists are Americans," he whispered. "I just hope that no one forgets what we did."

Unohana and Ukitake looked at him. He put his helmet back on and faced them.

"What…what's it like?" he asked.

"It depends on what you make of it," Unohana said and she touched his forehead with the back of her sword.

A black butterfly rose into the heavens and followed behind the others.

"It's such a shame," Ukitake said. "We never did find out his name."

_**Ten Years Later**_

Unohana walked among the crowds of family members and friends of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. The sound of the water pouring into the two pools that signified the Twin Towers filled the air. A gentle breeze rustled the thin branches of the young trees. She looked up at the tall tower that was now reaching high into the heavens. A large American flag hung from the lower levels while a smaller one was close to the top of the levels under construction.

She thought about those who died that day. The heroes of United 93 who kept the plane from crashing into the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C. and the emergency responders who gave up their lives trying to rescue as many people as they could were held in high esteem. She even remembered hearing Captain Zaraki say that if someone like Todd Beamer or Mark Bingham or Jeremy Glick ever came to them, then they would immediately hold a feast in their honor and welcome them with open arms. Kenpachi even had the phrase "Let's roll!" made into the official slogan of Squad 11.

She smiled at the memory of hearing Squad 11 shout out "Let's roll!" before charging into battle. Ukitake looked at her and then at the water falling into the pool which then fell into a central pit.

"It's beautiful," he said.

"Yes it is," Unohana said. "To think all of this was nothing but a pile of rubble only ten years ago."

"I'll get the Senkaimon ready," Ukitake said. "Captain-Commander Yamamoto only permitted us a period of time to visit this Sacred Place."

"Alright," Unohana said.

She sighed as she looked out at the crowds. She admired at how quickly the Americans were rebuilding, although she was rather frustrated at how long it took before they finally started to refill the great pit that used to be Ground Zero.

"Three monuments," someone said from behind her.

She turned and saw the firefighter standing next to her.

"What do you mean?"

"One to the past," he said and pointed at the two pools surrounded by the panels engraved with the names of those who died. "And another to the future," he said and pointed to the tower under construction. "And the third, bridging the gap between the two," he said and gestured to the crowd of family and friends.

She looked out and she could see shimmering shapes among the crowd. Some of them had their hands on those who grieved. She could see infants reaching out to some of the spirits who were crouching down to their level.

"They're all here, aren't they?" Unohana asked.

"Yes," he said and smiled. "They're all here. They all want those they left behind to know that they're alright now and that they'll always love them."

Unohana smiled and lifted her head to feel the soft breeze.

"Are you ready?" Ukitake asked from the Senkaimon that just opened behind her.

"Almost," she said. She turned back to the firefighter. "So, did you ever remember your name?"

He looked at her and whispered into her ear. She looked at him and he shrugged. She sighed and handed him the bellflower she brought with her. He looked at her.

"Is this supposed to stand for something?" he asked.

"Those who grieve are loved," she whispered.

He smiled at her and turned to a small group of people walking in. The blonde-haired woman was walking with a girl about 16 and a boy who was about 14. He looked at them.

"They are," he whispered.

"Are they your family?"

He nodded as he bit his lower lip. He adjusted the firefighter's badge he wore that served as the equivalent of his Zanpakuto. He looked at the bellflower and sighed as he made his way over to those he left behind. He followed them as they walked over to the list of names. When she saw her husband's name, the woman traced his name with her fingertips and smiled. He put a hand on her shoulder and gave a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"Come on," Ukitake said to Unohana.

She looked at him and smiled.

"You're right," she said. "This is their moment."

They turned to walk into the Senkaimon. Unohana looked back and bowed in respect to the living and the dead. Ukitake did the same.

"Did you ever find out his name?" he asked.

"Yes," Unohana said. "He's the 341 NYFD who lost their lives."

Ukitake looked at her and shrugged.

"Let's go home," he said.

Unohana took his hand and walked through the Senkaimon.

On the level of the living, the woman felt a gentle wind brush through her hair and for a moment thought she heard her husband whisper three words into her ear: "I love you."

"Mom is something wrong?" her daughter asked.

"No, but I think Daddy's here," she said and smiled as the wind blew.

She knew deep down that instead of ashes, the wind would blow words of comfort and love from those who died that day and yet lived on in the hearts of those they left behind.

Rushing water flows in old footprints

A figure stands at the panels

Tracing names with delicate fingers

To remember the Fallen


End file.
